Development Association NERDA attended the international conference held on October 8, 2025, in Belgrade, as part of the IntegrAGE project. The conference theme was: "Bridging Generations, Building Resilience, and Fostering an Age-Friendly Future in the Danube Region."

The event gathered 25 participants live in Belgrade and 91 participants online, confirming that the creation of an age-friendly work environment is a strategic necessity for the Danube Region.

Key insights from the Conference were presented in three presentations:

1. Retaining Older Workers (Tina Weber, Eurofound):

• The growth in employment for the 55+ age group is accompanied by a gender gap and a job quality gap.

• Job quality and working conditions are critical.

• Multi-layered policies are required (national, corporate, individual).

• The Austrian "Fit2Work" program was highlighted as the best practice for early intervention.

2. Fighting Discrimination (Jana Petersen, Deutsche Bahn):

• Deutsche Bahn uses a five-fold strategy to attract talent over 50 and retirees: Awareness, Events, Marketing, Recruitment, and Data-Driven approaches.

3. The Power of Intergenerational Mentorship (Michaela Hrdličková):

• The importance of Two-Way Learning and knowledge transfer between older and younger colleagues was emphasized.

• Key Principles: Respect, Empathy, and Flexibility.

• The Finnish model "House of Work Ability" was presented.